I volunteered on 28 Oct 66 and did not make Vietnam until 1967-68. I only saw a hand full of Diggers.
During the battle of Long Tran, 108 Australian and New Zealand soldiers held off a North Vietnamese force of over 2000. 18 Australians and an estimated 245 Vietnamese lost their lives.
The terrain and the artillery pieces looked quite different as they are shown in the movie. Filming Locations: Village Roadshow Studios, Oxenford, Queensland, Australia. The SLR rifles looked real, but the M16s were not E-1s or E-2s; actually, the 16 rifles were not introduced to the Australian Army until 1967. You could use the flash suppressor of the E1 to break the bands on "c-ration" cases. I still have an AR15.
However, this is a movie, and it does not have to be factual. It is the people integration that makes or breaks this movie for the viewer. Oh, yes and there is a lot of action for those that like a lot of action.
Talking about action, we get an APC charge that looks like Tarzan and the elephants at the last minute. The only problem with that is that no one would be caught in an APC. We always rode on top (usually including the driver) as one good RPG shot would burn a good two-inch hole in the aluminum hull on its way through. I had to clean up body parts from an RPG that went through the driver and into the engine compartment taking a lot of drivers with it.
The U. S. military was not as professional at the time, but they were disciplined and not arrogant as the soldiers in this movie are portrayed.
You get to hear "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" Artist: Nancy Sinatra Release year: 1966
"He's my Blond-Headed, Stompie-Wompie, Real Gone Surfer Boy" (1964)
Emmy Dougall played the singer Little Pattie
Also, you get to hear "I was only 19 (a Walk in the Light Green)" by John Schumann.
In memory of those members of D COY and 3TP IACP Sqn who gave their lives during the Battle of Long Tan on 18th August 1966.
To make the movie entertaining they added fictional characters and incidents.
Be sure to watch the credits.
